NEATH RFC is saddened to record the loss of 1960’s lock forward David (Dai) Davies.
Dai Davies was the first of a unique Bryncoch rugby set of brothers to appear for Neath. He made his Neath debut at the end of the 1958/59 season and the following season established himself as a durable, hard-core forward.
In the the early 1960’s the Neath pack forged a formidable path through these islands with the largely settled front five of Ron Waldron, Morlais Wiliams and John Dodd in the front row and the second row of Dai and either Peter Davies or Brian Thomas when he was home from Cambridge University.
Dai was a very consistent and reliable forward and he rarely missed a game.
He played in a couple of big occasions for Neath – the opening of the new grandstand in 1962 when he scored a try in Neath’s 15-6 victory over Glamorgan County and the switching on of the new floodlights in 1964 when he went off with an injured knee in the 8-8 draw against an International XV.
He also partnered Brian Thomas in the second row when the combined Aberavon-Neath XV put up such a brave fight before losing 6-11 to New Zealand in 1963.
In all Dai played 201 games for Neath usually alongside Brian Thomas or Peter Davies. When Walter Williams, Barrie Davies and Jeff Pyles emerged mid-decade he joined Swansea in 1965 and he made 64 appearances there before retiring from the first-class game in 1968.
Neath RFC’s sympathy and condolences are extended to David’s family and friends.
A minute’s silence will be held in his memory before Neath’s game against London Welsh next Saturday (3.00pm).